An ethnozoological study of traditional medicinal animals and their products from Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia

Background Ethiopia has a diverse set of floral and faunal resources that are used for primary health care in traditional or indigenous medicine. However, because they are passed down orally from one generation to the next, this indigenous medical practice is being ignored and is continuing to disappear. As a result, the goal of this ethnozoological study was to assess and document traditional healers' and indigenous people's knowledge in use of animal parts or products for medical purposes in the Diguna Fango District of Wolaita, Ethiopia. Materials and methods From March 2021 to June 2021, a field survey was conducted using personal interviews, semistructured questionnaires, and open group discussions utilizing a cross-sectional study approach. Totally, two hundred informants (125 men and 75 women) were provided information on the medicinal uses of various animals. Using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, the collected ethnozoological data were analyzed. The informant consensus factor, use value, and degree of fidelity were all determined. Results More than 50 different human ailments were treated using 39 different animal parts or products. Mammals had the highest use rate (N = 26, 66.67%). In the category of treating endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional diseases, Hystrix cristata had a high-fidelity level (FL = 95%). The highest use value (a maximum of 1.0) was for Bos taurus. The disease categories with the highest informant consensus factor (ICF) values were human immune deficiency disease, reproductive health, and genito-urinary ailment categories (ICF = 1.00). Wild animals (74%) outnumbered domestic animals (26%). The most common administration route (50%) was oral, and raw remedies had the highest use reports (58.9%). Conclusions The findings revealed that the study area contains a wealth of ethnozoological knowledge that could be useful in the formulation of novel drugs. The findings of the study should therefore be put to use in prospective ethnozoological, ethnopharmacological, and conservation-related studies in the region.


Introduction
Animals and people have depended on one another throughout history. Ethnozoology is therefore concerned with studying the past and present interactions of human civilization with animals after the first appearance of humans as a species [1]. It was reported that, of the total 252 health-promoting essential compounds, animal-based products accounted for about 8.7% [2]. Because the vast majority of the world's population relies on traditional medicinal treatments and medical practices, studying indigenous medicinal knowledge is crucial in the health-care delivery system [3].
In Sub-Saharan Africa, animal and plant-based remedies and Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are the primary choice of medication for the majority of people [4]. In Ethiopia alone, traditional medicines are used by approximately 80% of the population [5,6]. In the northwestern part of the country, the medicinal uses of 51 animal species have been identified therapeutically to treat approximately 36 different ailments [7]. In the southern part of the country, 21 animal species were reported to prepare remedies for 46 different types of diseases [8]. However, the majority of ethnobiological studies carried out in Ethiopia have emphasized traditional knowledge regarding the use of plants as medicine [6,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]. In the Diguna Fango District, little research has been conducted, and there is a notable absence of information regarding the use of animal products in traditional medicine.
The current study sought to describe animal use in folk medicine in the Diguna Fango District of Wolaita, Ethiopia, using an ethnozoological approach as part of a larger study project to document how animals are used by Ethiopian local people [7,8,16,17,18,19,20].

Study area description
The study was conducted in Diguna Fango District, Wolaita Zone, Southern Nation, Nationalities, and the People's Regional State of Ethiopia. The Diguna Fango District is located on the map at 6 • 51 ′ 37.224 ′′ -6 • 57 ′ 57.1 ′′ N and 38 • 02 ′ 15.7 ′′ -38 • 7 ′ 32.1456 ′′ E coordination (Fig. 1). The total area covered by the district is 371.304075 km 2 . The altitudinal range is between 1395 m a.s.l. and 2070 m a.s. l. The Diguna Fango District is located 350 km south of Addis Ababa, the capital city of the country, and 60-80 km from Sodo, the capital of Wolaita Zone. Diguna Fango is bounded to the southwest by the Damot Weyde District, to the west by the Damot Gale District, to the north by the Hadiya Zone, to the northeast by the Oromia Region, and to the east by the Sidama Region. The area's average annual rainfall and temperature are about 700 mm and 21 • C, respectively.

Selection of study sites
The study was carried out between March 2021 and June 2021 in seven close-by kebeles in the lower Fango cluster of the Diguna Fango District (Bilate Charicho, Bilate Eta, Fango Sore, Dimtu, Fango Boloso, Fango Damot, and Fango Ofa) in the Wolaita Zone, Figure 1. The study area map, Diguna Fango District, Wolaita Zone, Southern Nation, Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR) of Ethiopia.
Southern Nation, Nationalities, and People's Regional State of Ethiopia. The Kebeles were chosen specifically for their rich and intact flora and fauna, as well as the indigenous people who used these resources in traditional medicine more frequently than in other parts of the region. However, due to practitioner fatalities, a lack of documentation, and the fact that it was primarily passed down orally, indigenous knowledge of medicinal practices is being ignored and forgotten.

Sampling and data collection
Thirty-five volunteers took part in field surveys to collect information about the ethnomedicinal use of animals. They were divided into five categories (seven volunteers in each group). Each group conducted the field survey in the kebeles assigned by the supervisor. The data collectors received proper training before starting the field survey. Respondents were chosen using a non-probability (volunteer) sampling technique based on their expertise in traditional medicine and experience in the preparation of traditional remedies in their society [22]. The ethnomedicinal data on the using of animals and their parts/products were gathered using the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) technique, which includes an interview, an informal meeting, and open group discussions with semistructured questionnaires, with informants also serving as investigators [23,24].

Discussion in groups
The importance of animals in folk medicine and related issues were discussed with the study site's selected informants after gaining informed consent before gathering data. Efforts have been made throughout the discussions to persuade the practitioners that their involvement would be advantageous to society, future generations, and the nation as a whole.

Semi-structured interviews
Prior to the survey, an interview guide and a semistructured questionnaire were developed. The interview was prepared in Wolaitic, the indigenous language of the researcher's people, and no interpreter was required during data collection. The location and time of discussion were determined based on the preferences of the informants.

Data analysis
Data gathered through a semistructured questionnaire, interviews, and group discussions were cleaned, entered, and analyzed using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Fidelity level, informants' consensus factor, use values, and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were determined based on the following formula:

Frequency of citation (FC)
The frequency of citation measures the proportion of local respondents who provided information regarding the use of particular animal species for ethnomedical purposes [25]. The FC was calculated as: FC = n/N × 100, where n is the number of times a specific species was mentioned and N is the total number of times all species were mentioned. The ethnomedicinal animals with high FC values indicate their widespread use and knowledge among the local communities.

Fidelity level (FL)
The fidelity level is helpful in determining which species the residents prefer to heal specific types of diseases [25]. In this study, FL values ranged from 1.0% to 100%. Animals that are highly favored have a higher FL value than those that are less frequently chosen. FL values were computed as follows: FL (%) = Ip/Iu × 100, where Ip represents the total number of informants who mentioned using an animal to treat a particular ailment and Iu represents all informants who mentioned using an animal to treat any disease. It is expected that medicinal animals used frequently by most respondents for the same disease category are more likely to be helpful scientifically [25].

Use value (Uv)
Uv signifies the use value of a specific animal used in medicine. It was calculated as: Uv = ∑ Uvi/Ni, where Uvi indicates how many reports the informants had cited for that particular species, and N is the total number of respondents interviewed for a given animal species. A high use value signifies that the animal was cited by a sizable population in the research area [26].

Informant consensus factor (ICF)
The informant consensus factor (ICF) was computed based on the reported medication for a given disease category. ICF indicates the commonly used species within a community, assisting in the selection of animals for pharmacological and phytochemical research. The reported ailments were grouped into related categories according to the works of [6,22]. ICF values range from 0.00 to 1.00. When a single or a few animals are found to treat a specific ailment by a sizable proportion of informants, the ICF value is high. While low ICF values show that the choice of animal is a point of contention among the informants [25]. The informant consensus factor was derived using the formula ICF = Nur-nt/nur-1, where nur is the count of citations and nt is the species number used.

Ethics approval and consent to participate
The ethics approval was obtained from the Wolaita Sodo University Institutional Ethical Review Board (IRB) (the ethical approval A. Wendimu and W. Tekalign (ISE, 2006). Because signing paperwork is not usual at the study site, all respondents were given a brief explanation of the study's purpose, and oral informed consent was obtained before the interviews.
The study was conducted in line with the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Associated with Their Use, which is an addendum to the Convention on Biological Diversity. All participants retain their right to use and author traditional knowledge, and any use of this information for purposes other than scientific publication requires further prior authorization from traditional owners as well as an agreement on access to benefits derived from subsequent use.

Informants' demographic characteristics
During the field survey, 200 individuals (125 men and 75 women) ended up taking part in the interview and group discussion. The majority of informants (n = 94, 47%) were within the age range of 55 and above, with 73 (36.5%) being 45-54 years old and 33 (16.5%) being 35-44 years old. The majority of people in the research area lacked formal education due to the unavailability of modern education and the remoteness of educational institutions, as well as fallacious traditional personal attitudes towards modern education. Of the total respondents, 104 were illiterate, and the remaining 96 attended at least primary school, either in regular or extension programs. Most of the respondents (95%) were farmers who had a thorough understanding of ethnomedicine. Almost all study informants were not registered and organized with the modern health service delivery systems in the communities.

Frequency of citation (FC)
The FC values for employing animal products or parts in the present study range from 1 to 73. Hystrix cristata (FC = 73), Lepus fagani (FC = 69), and Homo sapiens (FC = 66) were the first three most frequently cited species of animals for weight gain, wound healing, and Key: FC = frequency of use citation; A = Amharic, W= Wolatic; Enjera = sour fermented flatbread made of grain, the national dish of Ethiopia and Eritrea; ghūl = an evil spirit or phantom, particularly one who is said to rob graves and feed on dead bodies. Animals were divided into their families and sorted according to their local acceptance and medication popularity in the societies.
evil eye medication, respectively. The smallest frequency of citation was observed in Rattus and Python spp. (FC = 1, for each) to cure stomach pain and urinary problems. A higher frequency of citations suggests that the majority of respondents used animals to treat a variety of ailments. A lower frequency of citations, on the other hand, indicates that the majority of respondents do not prefer a specific animal purpose to cure a variety of illnesses (Table 1).

Number of animal classes utilized in zootherapy practice
Mammals were the most widely mentioned animal class in zootherapy practice (n = 26, 66.67%), followed by arthropods (n = 5, 12.81%). A further four (10.26%) avian species, three (7.7%) reptile species, and one (2.56%) fish species have all been utilized in the preparation of traditional medicines (Fig. 2).

Method of remedy preparation
The findings revealed ten different methods for preparing remedies. Raw remedies made up 58.9% of the overall preparation, while cooked remedies made up 9.23%, soup preparation accounted for 4.55%, and roasting and fumigation each accounted for 3.40% (Fig. 3).

Habitats of medicinal animals
In total, 39 animal species were used for therapeutic purposes at the study site, with 74% obtained from the wild and ten (26%) representing domestic animal species. This reveals that the community's traditional people and healers rely more on wild than domestic species, and it also suggests that some wild animal species in the study area were overused.

Informant consensus factor
Human immune deficiency disease, reproductive health, and genito-urinary ailment categories had the highest informant consensus factor (ICF) values (ICF = 1.00), followed by poisonous bites (ICF = 0.98) and cardiovascular system diseases (ICF = 0.97). When only a few or one animal species are reportedly employed by a large proportion of informants, the ICF values are higher. However, respiratory system disease (ICF = 0.77) had a lower ICF value compared to other categories. Low ICF values designate that informants use that particular animal rarely. Several animal species were utilized in treating respiratory system disorders (ICF = 32), which were then followed by general and unspecified disease categories (ICF = 19) ( Table 3).

Fidelity level
The fidelity level calculation was made to identify species of animals that were recurrently and preferentially used by the residents of the area to treat specific ailments. The present study revealed that the fidelity level ranged from 15.9% (for Lepus fagani in the dermatological diseases category) to 95% (for Hystrix cristata in the endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional disease categories). The four animal species, Hystrix cristata (FL = 95%), Bos taurus (FL = 90%), Gallus gallus domesticus (81.8%), and Apis mellifera (FL = 80.6%), scored the highest fidelity values, whereas Lepus fagani scored the lowest fidelity level (FL = 15.9%) ( Table 4).

Use value
The use value (Uv) is a numerical indicator of how important a particular animal species is to the community. The highest "Uv" (maximum of 1.0) among the reported animal species was for Bos taurus, followed by Gallus gallus domesticus (Uv = 0.95), Apis mellifera   (Table 5).

Threats to medicinal animals
Even though people in the community used animals in traditional medical practices, anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic activities pose potential threats to animals. These activities can have a significant direct or indirect impact on the relative abundance and distribution of local fauna, including many globally threatened species. Deforestation (25%), lack of shelter (16%), prey depletion (13%), overexploitation (13%), human encroachment on wild habitats (10%), climate change (8%), drought (5%), pollution (5%), and flooding (5%), were the identified threats to medicinal animals in the study area. Deforestation is severely increasing and has accounted for the lion's share of all threats in recent days (Fig. 5).

Discussion
The World Health Organization reported that about 80% of the global population is primarily reliant on traditional medical practices that involve the use of animals [3]. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has also remained a cornerstone of primary healthcare in Ethiopia, where it is still used by 80% of the population [4,5,6,27]. People commonly use traditional medicines due to poverty, lack of hospitals, and because they are part of their culture [28]. The Diguna Fango District in Wolaita also uses ethnomedicine as its main form of medical care. However, no ethnomedical study was carried out in the region to document the traditionally used medicinal animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fill a knowledge gap in the reporting of ethnomedicine practiced in this particular area.
The majority of participants were male (62.5% of the total), with 37.5% being female. Previous studies have reported a similar pattern in other parts of Ethiopia [7,20]. This is because, when aging, local doctors, specialists, and practitioners transfer their ethnomedicinal and magico-religious knowledge as an inheritance to their male sons or other close relatives. Therefore, a large number of male respondents available in the area were selected for interviews. The female respondents who participated in the survey were housewives who started practicing remedy preparation after careful investigation of their husbands' workings on remedy preparation materials and techniques. In other cases, some remedy preparations are generally known, and all local villagers have substantial Key: Ip = number of informants for the indication; Iu = total number of informants for animals or products; FL = fidelity level. The list is based on the fidelity level (FL %). Key: A = Amharic language; W = Wolatic language; Uv = Use Value; % Uv = Percentage Use Value; ∑ Uvi = Sum of all Use Value report. The list is based on "%Uv." knowledge of their usage. In fact, males hunted pest animals for food as well as medicine while keeping their farm and livestock, or purposefully for treating various therapeutic indications, which could explain our findings. Contrarily, it was reported that female respondents were more knowledgeable about using ethnomedicines than male respondents due to caring for their children and families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's southern area, Pakistan [21].
Participants over the age of 55 made up a sizable proportion of the sample (94%) and were primarily involved in the use of ethnomedicine. Previous studies revealed a similar pattern in Ethiopia [7,20], demonstrating that older respondents had better expertise and understanding about ethnomedicine. There may be a variety of factors that increase knowledge with age; therefore, they should all be carefully considered. It makes sense that as people age, they have more time to learn things and, as a result, have a better understanding of medicinal animals than younger ones.
Most of the informants were illiterate (52%) and the least had an elementary level of schooling (48%), as observed in other parts of the country [20]. The significant level of illiteracy was caused by the terrible socioeconomic conditions, restricted access to learning institutions, and the fact that the majority chose traditional farming practices as a livelihood-sustaining activity.
Local communities have been known to use thirty-nine animal species for treating more than 50 different human illnesses, including cancer, colds, asthma, anemia, heart disease, HIV, bacterial infections, lymphadenopathy, hypersomnia, slipped discs, bone fractures, breast pain, ear pain, fever (malaria), gastritis, malaise, paralysis, pleurisy, pneumonia, rheumatism, sciatica, skin disease, stomach pain, stunting, teeth pain, toxin, typhoid fever, and others. Similar to this, in other parts of the country, local people used many animal species for human and livestock illnesses: in the southern region [8,18]; the northern region [16]; and the northwestern region [7,20]. There are similarities and cross-cultural links among ethnic tribes in the world generally and different regions of the country particularly. Therefore, in folk medicine, for the management of similar conditions, the same animal species with particular parts were recommended.
The most typically used animal species were mammals for therapeutic purposes. Similarly, studies in Ethiopia have claimed that mammals are the most widely employed species in traditional medicine [7,8,18,20]. This is because mammals are plentiful sources of protein, supplemental foods, and remedies, and they were frequently utilized by the local people for meat and milk. However, in some reports, reptiles were among the animals that are most frequently utilized in ethnomedicine [1,29].
Bos taurus was employed to treat anaemia, gastritis, pleurisy, sciatica, skin disease, slipped discs, and cancer. Apis mellifera has traditionally been used to treat erectile dysfunction, colds, and flu. Hystrix cristata for treating malaise, paralysis, rheumatism, and stunting; Equus asinus for treating asthma and pneumonia; Lepus fagani for treating burns; Canis familiaris for treating rabies; Homo sapiens for treating the evil eye (ghoul); and etc. were identified in the study area. Products (honey, milk, butter, cheese, and eggs), visceral organs (bile, fat, tongue, juices, liver, rumen, spleen, and pancreas), meat, and external body parts (legs, skin, soles, fur, hair, eyelashes, horns, and spurs) were widely utilized groups. Similar findings from different regions of Ethiopia reported the same things [7,8,10,17]. This resemblance may be due to people's shared cultural knowledge as well as traditional medicinal animal parts and products marketed across the country.
Inhabitants in the study area were prescribed raw milk to drink if someone accidently took in toxic chemicals. They believe that the toxic chemicals will be drawn out of the body when the patient drinks raw milk. This finding is reported as novel for the first time in the current study. The leg of a Bos taurus (below the knee, up to the hooves) was fine cooked in a large pot with spices for three to four consecutive days, and drinking the soup directly helps to relieve colds and is a popular treatment for bone fractures and slipped discs in humans. Despite its critical therapeutic importance, this discovery is also novel and has not been reported elsewhere.
Pisces were employed to treat colds, bone fractures, and eye disease. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish contribute to the visual A. Wendimu and W. Tekalign development and health of the retina in the back of the eye and have bone-boosting benefits [30]. Fish are also a great source of vitamin D, perfect for curing sniffles during the cold and flu seasons [30]; NPI, 2019). The eggs of Corvus corax and Gallus gallus domesticus were employed to treat colds, sciatica, pleurisy, gastritis, abdominal pain, and fever. Previously, eggs were employed to treat similar ailments in Ethiopia [7]. It was also reported that the egg of Gallus gallus domesticus was effective in treating weakness, cough, and nasal congestion, as well as stopping bleeding [21], diarrhea [31], and increasing potency and libido [32]. Urinary stone treatment has found success on eggshells [21]. Similar to this, eye disorders have been treated with Struthio camelus egg shells [32]. According to research, eggs contain vital bioactive compounds, lipid-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals including folic acid, phosphorus, selenium, amino acids, and iron that contribute to their ability to have healing properties [33].
Fats and oils from animals were utilized to treat rheumatism, asthma, and headaches. Previous studies reported similar things in Ethiopia [20]. Ethnobiologists have documented that fats are used to treat neurological disorders, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and aging effects [34,35]. This may be due to omega-3 fatty acids in vertebrates' fats [36]. Fats, on the other hand, are regarded as contributing significantly to heart disease, obesity, and weight gain. This is due to the high concentration of saturated fatty acids in them [33]. Therefore, using animal fat or oil could have negative effects and possibly result in health problems.
The bones of Crocuta crocuta, Felis domesticus, Hystrix cristata, Thomomys bottae, and Phacochoerus africanus were utilized for treating malaise, reducing gland distension, lymphadenopathy, and breast pain. However, in other studies, bones from Alectoris chukar, Columba rupestris, Coturnix japonica, Otus sunia, and Trochalopteron lineatum have been utilized to cure and control blood chemistry, heart problems, memory loss, renal difficulties, stomach problems, weakness, whooping cough, and wounds [18,20]. They also lessen bone fractures (Hall, 2011). The healing properties of bone may originate from collagen fibers, inorganic minerals like calcium and phosphate, and up to "95%" of the elastic protein contained therein.
Scorpion appears to be used far more frequently in folk medicine. The entire body of the scorpion Palamnaeus swammerdami was milled and applied to the victim areas to treat scorpion venom-affected skin. In Korea, scorpions are used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including convulsions, facial paralysis, speech disorders, liver disorders, high blood pressure, and pain throughout the body [54]. The main active components of scorpion medicine are tri-methylamine, butotoxins, lecithin, taurine, betain, and cholesterine [54]. The venom has been analyzed and found to contain numerous valuable bioactive compounds that can explain the Chinese use of scorpion venom in connection with meningitis, epilepsy, stroke, and rheumatic diseases [55].
Raw preparations accounted for the vast majority of medications used. The same trend was observed among different tribal communities [1,7,8,24,56]. The preparation and eating of uncooked raw meat have been heavily influenced by cultural and religious factors [57]. Raw meat consumption, however, may increase the risk of humans contracting various parasites and diseases [24]. Zoonotic illnesses may spread through close contact with animals as well as through the consumption of animal products in food and medicine. Raw milk consumption, for example, has been associated with parasitic toxoplasmosis infection previously and is now prohibited. Salmonella infection can occur in a variety of organs and tissues, including bone and bile, resulting in persistent diarrhea and endotoxic shock [58]. When handling and using animal tissues from unidentified origins as medicines, the risk of transmission of additional severe and pervasive zoonoses like rabies or tuberculosis should be taken into account.
Most liquids and solids were given orally, but some were applied topically, as seen in other studies [7,10,59]. Topical application of medications to treat skeletal and muscular system illnesses such as rheumatism, paralysis, swelling, and arthritis was consistent with other similar findings (Jaroli et al., 2010; [7]. To cure bone fractures, joint pain, muscle aches, piles, and wounds, ethnomedicine dermal treatment is still incredibly effective (Jaroli et al., 2010; [24].
Honey, oil, milk, sugar, salt, colour, and water were utilized as additives in ethnomedicine concoctions, as in an earlier study by [7]. Although there were instances where such additives were employed, the majority of treatments did not call for the inclusion of ingredients like sugar, water, butter, honey, teff and millet flour, salt, spices, milk, eggs, or coffee. These components improve solubility, soften the taste, and make it simpler to take ethnomedicine.
During the fumigation procedures, medicinal fumes were let into the body by the nose, and various animal parts, including bones, skins, and teeth, which were believed to have healing characteristics, were tied to the neck, hands, legs, and other parts of the body.
The length of medication and dosage of remedies in the study area were not standardized. The amount of remedies for all types of health problems is determined by the practitioner who prepares the medicine and the frequency with which medications are taken up until the final recovery day. In different doses for treating similar conditions, the same animal species with particular parts were recommended. One of the major disadvantages of traditional medicine, according to various sources, is the lack of standardization and quality regulation. Furthermore, the dosage varies from one part or product to the next, and some traditional healers give different dosages and frequencies of application based on age, gender, and other conditions or vary the medicine itself based on such differences. Sometimes, even among the informants, different dosages are recommended for treating the same medical issues. Depending on the patient's age, the estimation was used to prescribe liquid remedies in the form of a full, half, or one-fourth of a coffee cup, a glass of water, a tea or soup spoon, etc. For certain remedies that are considered harmless, the doses depend on the patient's interest and/or ability to drink or eat for a certain health condition and are described as "no dosage" in the document.

Threats to medicinal animals
Human-animal interdependence has both positive and negative consequences. On the positive side, there are a number of societies that have a deep respect for animals. Anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic activities, on the other hand, have direct and indirect effects on the local fauna as well as increased risks to wildlife, including several globally threatened species. Deforestation (which is severe and accounts for the lion's share of all threats), overexploitation, climate change, drought, and pollution were the identified factors.
The Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) was founded as part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and new policies and legislation were drafted and implemented to successfully safeguard biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecological processes from negative human impact. The authority strictly prohibits wildlife hunting and killing unless and until authorized by legal bodies in accordance with the country's policies and legislation. On the other hand, these rules usually fail due to a lack of training provided to locals on how to protect animals and use protected areas and national parks in a sustainable manner. To protect wild animals, community service providers and governing bodies should create community awareness campaigns emphasizing alternative treatment options, such as the use of medicinal plants instead of animal products.

Conclusion
The findings reveal that the native people of Wolaita, Ethiopia, have considerable knowledge about the preparation of ethnomedicines from faunal resources. This is the first attempt to document animal-based medications from the region and provides an ethnobiological database for pharmacological, phytochemical, and synergistic studies. The locals have close ties to the numerous animal species in their habitat, and they use them in their primary healthcare system to cure a variety of illnesses. Scholarly investigation into the medical role of animals and their products should not be neglected as it is eroding rapidly due to the deaths of elder traditional healers and specialists. Furthermore, animal products and parts with the highest FL and ICF should be further studied in the future to assess the pharmacologically active ingredients by using in vitro and in vivo assays to aid in improving local people's health and spreading awareness about the management and sustainable use of indigenous knowledge.

Recommendations
Traditional medicine is used by a large proportion of both urban and rural residents in the study area. This suggests that traditional medicine plays an important role in bridging the gap between modern health services and assisting in the replacement of costly treatments and pharmaceuticals that are not readily available to consumers in the area. As a result, we made the following suggestions: ✔ Other interested researchers will need to do increasingly in-depth research on the analysis of active components and other pharmacological and ethnozoological characteristics of animals in Wolaita by using this baseline data as future references. ✔ A comparative study of ethnomedicinal animal population abundance in different geographic areas should be done to determine the local effect of traditional medicinal techniques on wildlife. ✔ To safeguard wild animals, local advocacy groups could organize community awareness campaigns that highlight alternative complementary treatment approaches, such as the use of medicinal plants rather than animal products.

Limitations
Ideally, field research would take more than a year to capture the whole faunal and cultural cycle of the studied area. There is also seasonal variation in both illnesses and the availability of treatments. However, one noted weakness of the current study is that it only covers a fraction of a year to obtain the necessary data.

Consent for publication
This manuscript doesn't contain any person's data, and further consent for publication is not required.

Availability of data and materials
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are included in the body of this paper.

Funding
The study received no funding from government, commercial, or non-profit financing organizations. materials, analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.
Wondimagegnehu Tekalign: Conceived and designed the experiments; Performed the experiments; Analysed and interpreted the data; Wrote the paper.

Competing interests
There is no conflict of interest between the authors regarding this paper.